State Election Commissioner, Haryana, Sh. Dhanpat Singh said that in view of the directions of the Supreme Court of India, a candidate contesting Municipal Corporation
- Chandigarh, August 22– State Election Commissioner, Haryana, Sh. Dhanpat Singh said that in view of the directions of the Supreme Court of India, a candidate contesting Municipal Corporation, Council, Committee elections is required to furnish details regarding criminal cases pending against them.
- He elaborated that in pursuance of the directions of Supreme Court the State Government has amended Form 1C of Haryana Municipal Corporation Election Rules, 1994 and of Haryana Municipal Election Rules, 1978. He said that Form 1C pertains to the information required to be furnished by the contesting candidate at the time of filing nomination to contest Municipal Corporation, Council, Committee elections about his or her criminal antecedents.
- Besides this, if the said candidate is contesting an election on the ticket of a particular party, he/she is required to inform the party about the criminal cases pending against him/her, he added. The concerned political party is required to put up the said information on its website and also to issue a declaration in widely circulated newspapers in the locality about the antecedents of the candidate and also to give wide publicity in the electronic media.
- Furthermore, the State Election Commission, Haryana has issued directions on August 17, 2021 to the candidates intending to contest election for the post of Chairperson (mayor in Municipal Corporations and President in Municipal Councils/Committees) and Members of Municipal Corporations, Councils, Committees who have criminal cases registered or pending against them or cases in which they have been convicted in the past, and to the political parties.
- He said that as per the directions the candidates who have criminal cases against them either pending or in which the candidate has been convicted, shall publish a declaration about such cases, for wide publicity, in two newspapers (at least one Hindi and one English) having wide circulation in the concerned municipal areas. The declaration is required to be published at least on three different dates from the day following the last date for withdrawal of candidatures and up to two days before the date of poll.
- Also, candidates with criminal cases are also required to publish the above declaration on local TV channels or cable networks (if locally available) on three different dates during the above mentioned period and up to 48 hours ending with the hour fixed for conclusion of poll.
- He said that as per the directions the candidates shall submit copies of the newspapers in which their declaration in this regard was published to the Deputy Commissioner or an officer authorized by the State Election Commission, along with their account of election expenses. In the case of candidates with criminal cases set up by political parties, whether recognized parties or registered un-recognized parties, such candidates are required to declare before the Returning Officer concerned that they have informed their political party about the criminal cases against them.
- He further added that recognized Political parties and registered un-recognized parties, which set up candidates with criminal cases, either pending or of past conviction are required to publish declaration giving details in this regard on their website as well as in local TV channels or cable networks (if locally available) and at least two newspapers (one Hindi and one English) having wide circulation in the municipal area concerned.
- He said that as per the directions the recognized Political parties and registered un-recognized parties, which set up candidates with criminal cases shall have to submit a report to the Deputy Commissioner concerned stating that they have fulfilled the requirements of the directions, and shall enclose paper cutting containing declaration published by the party in this respect. This shall be done within 30 days of completion of election.
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